Lolita the captive orca deserves the chance to rejoin
her family still living there.
The political, economic and social conditions that have kept Lolita in a
display
tank in Miami for 28 years are now changing in a direction that is
favorable to
her chances to go home.

Recent scientific knowledge and the example of Keiko
tell us that there is no
real risk involved in returning Lolita to her home waters, but there is
huge risk
in keeping her captive. Lolita shows incredible strength and courage and
remains in good health and fully capable of making the transition to her
native
habitat. There is much you can do to help make that trip home a reality
for
Lolita.

1) On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 9th, from Noon to 1 PM,
you are all invited
to join the MOTHER'S DAY DEMO in front of the Seaquarium. We need a
strong turnout to let the world know that Lolita needs and deserves to
return to
her home waters, that her family will in all likelihood recognize her
and welcome
her back, and that Lolita herself could have a calf or two in the next
few years,
if returned home.

The demo will be a non-disruptive, completely legal
assembly of people on the
lawn beside the road. There will be signs, banners, kids in orca
costumes,
music, poetry, and who knows what will be added by Mother's Day. We are
appealing especially to mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and
kids.
Karen Munro (wife of Washington Sec. of State Ralph Munro), who has
never
before joined a public demonstration, has confirmed that she will be
there.
We will gather before the event about a half mile from the Seaquarium at
a
bayside site, and have a picnic with music afterwards. Please spread the
word.

At this point the Lolita campaign is not financially
supported by any large organ-
izations or funding sources. We are appealing for your help to provide
printing
and mailing costs and to purchase newspaper ads to publicize this event.
The
timing of this Mother's Day Demo is critical, and the campaign needs
financial
help to make it a resounding success. The Tokitae Foundation is a 501 c
3
non-profit organization. The address is:
920 Meridian Ave. #2, Miami Beach, FL 33139.

2) The powerful one-hour documentary "Lolita - Spirit in
the Water" is now
playing all over the US, and is scheduled to appear in 130 markets. It
will play
in Seattle 3/13, 4 pm KOMO-4; Miami 3/6, 3 pm WSVN-7. It seems to be
primarily on Fox stations, so you may be able to find out by checking
with your
local Fox network station. Each city has the option to show the video
twice,
so a little public pressure can probably accomplish that.

3) Many thanks to all who joined in and helped with the
Lolita benefit events
at the Captain Whidbey Inn in Coupeville on January 31. Secretary of
State and
Mrs. Munro were there along with fellow Tokitae board member Kelley
Balcomb-
Bartok and a room full of friends of Lolita. Special thanks to Jan, Lynn
and
Sea Raven from Port Townsend, who performed Lynn's song for Tokitae at
the
benefit.

4) On 2/24/99 a pod of killer whales was reported
approaching
Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, where Keiko is in a bay pen. The big question
is:
What will Keiko do when he hears wild whales for the first time since
1979?

5) On January 24th Dr. Lanny Cornell, Keiko's
veterinarian, told the Whales
Alive conference in Maui that Keiko was perfectly healthy and physically
ready to rejoin his wild counterparts.

6) Here are some relevant quotes:

"The eyes of the world are on this community, we must
rise to the occasion
and do the right thing".... Miami-Dade County Executive Mayor Alex
Penelas
(about saving the Tequesta Circle, a mysterious recent archeological
discovery threatened with destruction to build a condo).

"I've heard people say saving the circle is like another
Free Willy campaign"
....Miami City Mayor Joe Carollo

"Aquariums, particularly marine mammal circus acts, are
bound to disappear
as the public is educated and revolts against it."....Jean-Michel
Cousteau

And finally, from the March 1, 1999 Portland Oregonian:
"This entire Icelandic adventure -- the one critics said could harm or
even
kill the 21- or 22-year-old whale -- seems, instead, to agree with
him."...
"The [Free Willy/Keiko] foundation's mission, particularly as it
anticipates
merging with Jean-Michel Cousteau's environmental foundation this year,
evolves at a rapid rate. Still, Keiko and the possibility of release
this
summer or next come first."

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